In Another Time and Place
by Kate-Emma
Summary: Complete - What would have happened if Bomber had chosen Army over Navy? Would she still have met the man of her dreams? Bomber/Buffer
1. Life In Disrepair

In Another Time and Place…

_For Mauzi_

Part 1:  
Life in Disrepair

All those years ago, young and idealistic as she had been, Becca Brown had dreamt of being somebody people could trust and respect. Someone like her grandfather. He'd been a man of war and peace. It was a paradox of feelings that Rebecca, even as young as seven, could relate to. Fight for what you believe in and for peace. For the right to grow up in a land free of control and anger, a land where her mother wasn't so bossy and her sister so bratty. A world where her parents could be happy. A world where her dad was still alive.

At age 14 Rebecca was no longer young and idealistic but a rude and uncouth youth running around the back streets of Mount Isa desperate for something new to do and a way out of the mundane normality that came with life in the back of beyond. That came when her school started class projects on Australian history. Fighters and heroes, all like her grandfather. It was then that Rebecca discovered the Australian Defence Force. It was then that she knew what she wanted to be.

At age 17 and 9 months she was old enough to apply. And apply she did, bussing it into town without her mother even knowing and sauntering right up to the Defence offices with the graces that came with being a hard-nosed country girl. There, sitting amongst men that were joining up now a local mine had shut down, Rebecca decided to follow her grandfather's footsteps away from her home and into the wide world beyond.

Of course, recruit school meant heading south, a concept that enraged her mother. Stuck in her ways, Grace Brown couldn't see a future for Rebecca in a life built on war. As she said, it was fine for her father, it was 1941 and the height of the war. But now, 2005, there was no reason. She couldn't see the yearning desire to leave in Rebecca's eyes. She never understood her eldest daughter and somewhere in Bec's heart was the knowledge she never would. So, instead of goodbyes, they fought. A threat never to return and then, packing her bags, Rebecca Brown left Mount Isa.

The day she arrived at Kapooka, she never looked back…

**A/N: **Okay, little explanation for those looking at me going 'Navy recruit school is Cereberus, not Kapooka.' Answer: I know. Just bare with me and you'll understand.

This is a five-part story for Mauzi whose idea this is. I hope you enjoy it. ;)


	2. Stand On Your Own

In Another Time and Place

Part 2:  
Stand On Your Own

Just three more push-ups and she was home free. It was the last thought running through Rebecca's head as she lay on the floor under the glaring gaze of her very bossy Warrant Officer, a strict man running a drill like he was ranked higher than he actually was. In fact, thought Rebecca as she pushed herself up one more time, her hands burning and her chest tight, he was acting like the world's worst stereotypical drill sergeant. Then Rebecca reached 100 and he broke into a smile.

"Good work Lance Corporal Brown. You can go." Heck, he even offered her a hand to her very unsteady feet. Then, letting her go with a grin, he went back into insane mode. "This doesn't mean you maggots can stop. Yes, I mean you Clark, I know you. How do you like being beaten by a girl? Kills you eh?" He noticed Bec still standing there. "Dinner Lance Corporal, on the double."

And double time it she did, right out the door until she reached the dining hall.

Kapooka, the army's training centre at Wagga Wagga, hadn't expected to see Rebecca Brown return three years after her graduation. In fact, some of her instructors hadn't expected her to make it out of recruit school alive at all. But Bec was tough, tougher than anyone gave her credit for, and she knew it. She knew it through everything, from leaving Mount Isa at age eighteen, Army recruit school and training. Through early morning runs, insane PTs, weapons training and hours upon hours of marching. But now she was back to rank up, desperate to become a Corporal to prove to herself that she could. She just had to get through one last day at Kapooka and she was home free.

It had been Rebecca's choice to return to Kapooka, the option to endure fourteen days of re-training and rank up or stay where she was and wait. She didn't wait. She took the shortcut, as painful as it was certain to be, and now she stood only hours away from the life she'd set out to achieve – Corporal.

Corporal wasn't a high position, it wasn't even an officer, but it had been her grandfather's position when he'd been in Guinea during the war. The man that had inspired her would know be proud of her. At least that made one person – as for her mother's reactions she couldn't yet be certain…

*

The last two hours of the sleep deprivation exercise were the hardest. She'd learnt that the first time she'd done it, only managing to get through with the help of a friend who would clap each time Bec looked close to drooping. Now, however, she was alone. Alone in a room, determined not to nod off, whilst under the constant supervision of two bossy Warrant Officers who were assessing her progression. She amused herself with the cap of a pen.

Thirty-five seconds. Gosh her eyes hurt. They stung.

Twenty-five seconds. All she wanted to do was all backwards and sleep forever. The days worth of push-ups, runs and marching had done her in.

Fifteen. She wouldn't last. Her eyes were drooping.

Ten. One last gasp of oxygen re-started her system. But she didn't have long…

Five. Don't…

Four. Think…

Three. About…

Two. Sleeping.

One.

The door opened and Bec's eyes stared up at the Warrant Officer. He cracked a smile.

"Congratulations… Corporal Brown."


	3. The People and The Places

In Another Time and Place…

Part 3:  
The People and The Places

"Corporal" The boss, as she called him, stepped out from behind the towering figure of the patrol boat CO. "Marshal the troops."

Corporal Brown nodded and pulled the others together with a whistle and a stern look. They gathered around her on the dock as the team leader, a bossy Warrant Officer Second Class named Kowalski, joined them. "Now gang, the CO has offered us the run of his ship until we reach Timor. BUT, and I stress the BUT here, you still have to be on your best behaviour. The last thing we need is a bunch of Navy clowns on our backs for the next few days. Remember the old code: we're better than the rest." He gave a cold smile causing many of the younger Privates to look away. Rebecca kept his gaze, used to his strange versions of pep talks. Tim Kowalski was a fifth-generation Army man and knew nothing else. In his mind there was no one better, especially not the Air Force or Navy, and the idea that his men may embarrass him in front of the Navy crew was impossible to comprehend.

"Your men ready?" The tall brunette CO joined them, smiling at them warmly. Kowalski bizarrely returned the smile.

"Let's go Lieutenant Commander." With a warning glance back at his men, Kowalski led them onto the ship.

***

"They let girls in the Army?" A young Seaman caught Rebecca's ear as she passed the Junior Sailor's Mess. "What's next?"

She stopped at the doorway. "Idiot children in the Navy I assume." She cracked, causing the young man to look up. He turned a brilliant shade of red then left the room, the much older Petty Officer who had been sitting with him just laughing. He waved her in. "You're with Kowalski right?" Rebecca nodded. "Well, welcome to the Hammersley. I'm Buffer and that idiot…" he motioned to the door. "… was Spider."

Bec shook his outstretched hand. "Corporal Brown."

"Ignore him. Just, we had some Army men onboard not long ago, headed for Samaru. He's not used to women, as you can probably tell."

Rebecca grinned. "Don't worry, I have a cousin like him." She shrugged. "I don't blame him, women still aren't allowed in frontline teams, like with your Clearance Divers."

Buffer nodded. "So what are you lot then?"

"The Medical Squad, we roll in when the frontline are done just generally destroying things."

"Sounds like the Navy in general, the last ones to arrive and ones usually left to clean up the mess."

Rebecca laughed and motioned to the door. "Well, I better get off. It was good to meet you Buffer." She flashed him a winning smile then left. Buffer stayed where he was for a second, the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips, then eventually pushed himself to his feet and got back to work.


	4. In The Line of Fire

In Another Time and Place…

Part 4:  
In The Line of Fire

Rebecca was seated in the Senior Sailor's Mess with two of the younger members of her group when the call came over the pipe. A boarding party was being called for a foreign fishing vessel on the starboard beam. Glancing at the other two, who didn't seem the least bit interested in what the Navy were up to, she left the room and headed for the bridge where Kowalski stood with the Hammersley CO. "Sir?"

Kowalski turned and gave her a nod. "Corporal. Lieutenant Commander Flynn here requested a break from steaming to Timor to take down these fishermen. Apparently they've been giving the Hammersley the run about for a while now."

Rebecca gave Kowalski a look that simply said 'and you let him?' as Flynn smiled. "We don't often get Army men that actually let us do our job while they're onboard." He gave Kowalski a smile then looked back out to sea. Rebecca lowered an eyebrow at her senior, but he missed the look and returned his gaze to the FFV too, looking rather proud of himself. Rebecca shook her head. Whatever had happened to her Warrant Officer wouldn't last, but it was interesting to watch anyway.

"K, cool." Shaking her head slowly Rebecca stepped out onto the bridge deck where the X, a slightly bossy but rather friendly woman named Kate McGregor, stood watching the RHIB head towards the FFV. She glanced at Rebecca with a small smile then returned her gaze to the boat. As Rebecca watched, the crew of the RHIB jumped aboard, the large figure of Buffer the most prominent amongst the motley crew. She failed to keep her eyes off him as she watched him kick the feet of a fisherman with a machete out from under him and cuff him on the deck. It was very impressive. As the other four in the RHIB got to work, a large thin fisherman appeared at the bow of the ship and pulled out a rifle. Within a second Rebecca realised he wasn't aiming for the RHIB at all – he'd seen the women on the bridge deck. Rebecca grabbed the X, who hadn't seen the man, and pulled her down to the ground as he started firing. After a minute she raised her head as the firing stopped, just in time to see the last of Buffer's crash-tackle as he brought the fisherman to the ground and restrained him. She stood slowly, giving the X a hand, as she watched him, mesmerised by his ability. For so long she'd had drilled into her that the Army were tougher, faster and stronger. There was no doubting the rivalry between the arms in the ADF, even if it was a friendly one. But now she doubted it. There was no way anyone could be tougher, stronger, smarter or faster than Buffer. She smiled a little at the thought of telling anyone else about this.

"Good reflexes Corporal." Rebecca glanced up to see the X assessing her, and just gave the Navy woman a nod. "And thank you."

"No problems ma'am." Then, with one last glance towards the FFV, Rebecca turned and went back inside.


	5. Other Than You and Me

In Another Time and Place…

Part 5:  
Other Than You and Me

That afternoon, lingering outside the CO's office as she waited to hear what Kowalski wanted from her (he and the Hammersley captain were currently debriefing in Lieutenant Commander Flynn's office), Rebecca thought back on everything that had happened that day. Still so far from Timor, and with many days of sailing to go before they got there, she wondered what the next few days would be like on board with the crew after everything that had happened. She'd seen the full strength of the Navy, been awed by it and been humbled by it, and now wondered if she'd chosen right. Maybe all those years ago she should've chosen the Navy life, or maybe even the Air Force life. Had the Army really been the right decision? Would things have been different if her grandfather had been Navy instead of Army? Who would she be now? Would she have ever met this crew and all her old and new friends?

"Corporal?" Rebecca looked up to see the young seaman from earlier standing there. "Are you okay?"

She pointed at him. "Spider right?" He nodded rather eagerly and she almost smiled. "This ship your first posting?" He nodded again. "I'll tell you the truth, this is my first overseas posting."

"Really? It's just you look so…" he faltered with the word he was looking for.

"If you say 'old' Seaman Webb, I will hurt you."

Spider grinned. "No, 'professional'. Anyway, Buff thinks you're cool and he's a good judge of character."

Rebecca gave a slight smile at the thoughts of Buffer, the sole reason behind her newfound appreciation of the Navy. Not that she'd say that aloud – Kowalski would kill her. And this silly little Seaman in front of her didn't need to know this either. "It's a bit stuffy in here, I might go take in some fresh air on the deck. You'll come find me if I'm needed right?" He nodded with a smile. "K." Then, pushing open the door behind her, she stepped out onto the quarterdeck.

***

"Yo, Brown." A hand waved in front of Rebecca's face as she stood at the stern of the Hammersley, staring out to sea. She glanced up and came face to face with Spider. "You still with us?"

Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking."

Spider lowered an eyebrow. "Okay, sure." He gave her a confused look. "So, what's for dinner?"

"What?" She snapped back to reality, drifting off again.

"Bomber! Hello! Seriously…" With a shake of his head Spider waved both hands in front of her face. "This must be some daydream."

She slapped his hands away, growling at him. He shoved his hands back in his pockets and stepped back. "For your information I was just thinking what it would be like to not be in the Navy."

Spider frowned, lowering both eyebrows in a rather humorous expression. "Why would you want to think about that?" She shrugged. "Well, what's it like?"

For a minute Bomber was quiet then smiled. "It kinda sucks." She grinned at him then turned away from the ocean and started to walk back inside. "So Spi, what do you want for tea? Oh wait, let me guess, chips?" And then, with a laugh, Able Seaman Brown, 100% Navy of heart and soul, left her daydreams behind.

**A/N: **For Mauzi who suggested a piece where Bomber wasn't in the Navy and she meets Buffer. Maybe slightly skewed idea of it, and the world's lamest ending, but I hope you liked it anyway.


End file.
